State Troopers Rescued Woman, Gave Family Chance To Say Goodbye

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Toni Klassy was traveling from cancer treatment in Wisconsin back home to New Mexico with her daughter on I-294 when she lost consciousness and exhibited no signs of life. When Illinois state troopers arrived on the scene, they were able to revive Klassy using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and give her family, who were hundreds of miles away, a chance to say goodbye. She died days later of complications from kidney cancer.

As part of their thank-you to those troopers for giving them that chance, Klassy's family set up a GoFundMe account to raise money to buy another AED for the Illinois State Police in Toni's name. It will, they hope, "help save someone else's life."

The GoFundMe will also help the family pay for funeral expenses and transportation. Anything that's left over will be donated to a fund for kidney cancer research and education.

Toni's husband, Dean, and their daughter met with state troopers in person Wednesday to express their gratitude. In a statement on GoFundMe, Dean wrote, "Because of the quick and lifesaving response of the Troopers, Toni was able to give myself and the rest of our family 4 more days to be with her before she passed away. This means a lot to our family."

He also mentions several comments people posted on Toni's Facebook page that showed how "she was a mentor, inspired them, [she was] known for her laugh and smile and she was always willing to help everyone else."

"She didn’t accept the idea that she changed people’s [lives]," he adds.

With the donation of another AED to Illinois State Police, Toni will continue to change lives even after her death.

Visit the GoFundMe page to donate to the Toni Klassy Memorial Fund.

>>Image via GoFundMe